14 vitamins you need to supplement during pregnancy

During pregnancy, you will need more vitamins than others. So do you know what vitamins your body needs and from what sources?

1. Vitamin A

Vitamin A is an essential nutrient for many aspects of your baby's development. This vitamin helps a lot for the growth and development of cells, bones, skin, eyes (especially essential for night vision), teeth and immune system. Too little vitamin A in a mother's diet can lead to premature birth, slow growth of the baby, skin disorders and eye damage in the baby. Conversely, if you take too much vitamin A for a long time, the risk of birth defects in the fetus increases.

The recommended amount of vitamin A during pregnancy is 770 micrograms. Good sources of vitamin A include dairy products and other animal products, spinach, kale, green vegetables, oranges and yellow tubers (e.g. carrots, pumpkins, potatoes, etc. sweet potato, pumpkin), red pepper, oatmeal, watermelon, mango and apricot.

2. Vitamin B1 (thiamin)

Vitamin B1 is essential to convert starch into energy, responsible for regulating the supply of starch for the baby, participating in the production of red blood cells, in addition to supporting the nervous system to function normally. Vitamin B1 also helps you eat better - this is very important as you strive to keep a healthy and healthy diet for both you and your baby.

The recommended intake of vitamin B1 during pregnancy is 1.4 mg. Food sources of vitamin B1 include: oatmeal, wheat germ, dried beans, peas, peanuts, raisins, cauliflower, corn, nuts and sunflower seeds.

3. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)

Vitamin B2 helps to release energy from fats, proteins (proteins), and starches. This is very important because pregnant women need a lot of energy. This vitamin also helps to stabilize appetite, helping you and your baby to have healthy skin and eyes. Vitamin B also promotes the growth of the fetal brain, so you need to ensure a steady supply of vitamin B2 during the last trimester of pregnancy). Vitamin B2 deficiency can cause fetal weak bones, anemia, poor digestive function, suppressed immune system and also cause anorexia and mouth sores in the mother.

The recommended amount of vitamin B2 during pregnancy is 1.4 mg. You will be able to find vitamin B2 in liver, milk, yogurt, cheese, eggs, chicken, mushrooms, peas and other legumes.

4. Vitamin B3 (niacin)

Vitamin B3 is not only involved in releasing necessary energy from the foods you eat, but also an important factor in promoting blood circulation, thereby circulating nutrients to nourish the baby. Adequate dose of vitamin B3 will promote the healthy development of the nervous and digestive system of the fetus, in addition to helping the skin of the pregnant mother to be healthier.

The recommended dose of vitamin B3 during pregnancy is 18 mg. Foods high in vitamin B3 include: meat, fish, chicken, veal, lamb, salmon, peanuts and mushrooms.

5. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)

Vitamin B6 helps the body use protein to build tissue - especially when a lot of tissue needs to be formed as the fetus grows in the womb. This vitamin also helps in making white blood cells and red blood cells for mother and baby. Studies have demonstrated that vitamin B6 has the ability to help reduce morning sickness symptoms and reduce skin disorders caused by hormonal changes during pregnancy. Vitamin B6 deficiency can cause skin problems in babies.

The recommended amount of vitamin B6 during pregnancy is 1.9 mg. You should eat the following foods rich in vitamin B6: bananas, butter, wheat germ, brown rice, bran, soybeans, oatmeal, chicken, beef, veal, lamb, potatoes, tomatoes, spinach and watermelon.

6. Vitamin B7 (biotin)

Vitamin B7 is involved in the production of amino acids and helps your body digest fats, carbs and proteins. The process of cell division for embryo development requires vitamin B7 for the smooth replication of DNA to take place. Lack of this vitamin can exacerbate many symptoms of pregnancy, such as fatigue, nausea, skin problems and muscle aches. In addition, vitamin B7 deficiency can also cause hair loss - an unusual phenomenon in pregnancy.

The amount of vitamin B7 needed during pregnancy is 30 micrograms. You can find this vitamin in a wide variety of foods, including peanuts, nuts, eggs, soybeans, mushrooms, peas, avocados, cauliflower, milk, bananas, tomatoes and grains. the cup.

7. Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is very important for the formation of genetic material, red blood cells and plays an essential role in the formation and operation of the nervous system. In other words, vitamin B12 is essential for forming a healthy baby. Vitamin B12 combined with folic acid (folate) can help the fetus to develop normally. Deficiency of vitamin B12 can cause babies to develop neural tube defects, digestive system disorders or nervous system disorders and cause fatigue for pregnant mothers.

The recommended intake of vitamin B12 for pregnant women is 2.6 micrograms. Natural sources of vitamin B12 include animal products such as meat, eggs, dairy products, and fish. If you're a vegetarian, you can get vitamin B12 from foods like nutritional yeast or soy milk.

8. Choline

Choline is a member of the B vitamin family and is crucial for fetal brain and neural tube development. In the long term, choline is also essential for future learning and memory development of the baby. This vitamin can also reduce forgetfulness in pregnant women. Choline concentration that is too low during pregnancy increases the risk of birth defects in the newborn, on the contrary, if the concentration is too high, it can cause intestinal problems in the baby.

The recommended intake of choline for pregnant women is 450 mg. You can find this vitamin in peanuts, eggs, broccoli, cauliflower, wheat germ, soybeans, and meats.

9. Folate (folic acid)

Folic acid is a B vitamin and is essential in the prevention of nerve defects of the fetus during early pregnancy. In fact, studies show that a lack of folic acid in the first few months of pregnancy causes up to 70% of neural tube defects. In addition, getting enough folic acid during pregnancy not only helps prevent defects arising in the nervous system, but also aids in cell division and formation of red blood cells for you and your baby. In addition, folic acid also helps reduce the risk of fetal growth retardation, increases the weight of the baby at birth as well as reduces the risk of preterm birth and the risk of high blood pressure during pregnancy in the mother.

Aim to consume 600 micrograms of folic acid daily before and during pregnancy. Food sources of folic acid include avocados, bananas, oranges and grapefruit juice, asparagus, most fruits and green vegetables, lentils, black beans, beans, peas and spinach. Most grain products are fortified with folic acid.

10. Pantothenic acid

Pantothenic acid plays an important role in the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and proteins as well as the production of steroid hormones. This vitamin also contributes to the regulation of the kidney's upper glands and is involved in the production of antibodies to help promote wound healing. Lack of pantothic acid can make mothers sleep disturbed and babies slow to grow.

The recommended amount of pantothenic acid for pregnant women is 6 mg. This vitamin can be obtained from foods such as meat, milk, eggs, oranges, potatoes, broccoli, cereals, mushrooms and green vegetables.

11. Vitamin C

The effect of vitamin C is enormous. Vitamin C is essential for the production of collagen - the protein that helps form the structure and builds the baby's cartilage, muscles, blood vessels and bones. Collagen is also involved in the composition of the skin and eyes. In addition, this vitamin also works to heal tissues, wounds as well as support the body's metabolic processes. In addition, vitamin C also helps the body absorb iron and fight infection. Taking a sufficient dose of vitamin C will help your baby have a healthy birth weight and reduce the risk of premature rupture of the membranes. On the contrary, vitamin C deficiency can cause blood cancer.

The recommended intake of vitamin C during pregnancy is 85 mg. In addition to the famous fruit that contains vitamin C like oranges, you can find vitamin C in citrus fruits, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and cabbage. curly, red and green pepper, beans, sweet potato, tomato, apple, cantaloupe, blueberry, melon, kiwi, mango, papaya, peach, strawberry and watermelon.

12. Vitamin D

In addition to playing an essential role in keeping strong teeth and bone structure healthy, vitamin D also aids in the absorption of calcium for the mother and is an important part of pregnancy.

The recommended daily intake of vitamin D is 200-400 units, but many experts believe that this intake is still not enough and most pregnant women should take more of this essential vitamin. While the body can produce vitamin D on its own when exposed to sunlight, the production of vitamin D is especially difficult for mothers with darker skin who live in climates that do not have much. sunlight or lack of exposure to the outside environment or using sunscreen. Think you can eat (or drink) a vitamin D supplement? Not easy at all, because large amounts of vitamin D are not found in any food. Fortified milk, fruit juices as well as sardines and egg yolks often contain some vitamin D. But the amount of vitamin D in the above foods is not enough to prevent vitamin D deficiency of the mother's body. The best thing you can do is ask your doctor to check the vitamin D levels in your body to diagnose if you have a vitamin D deficiency and together find additional sources for that deficiency.

13. Vitamin E

Vitamin E helps prevent damage to cell membranes and may prevent allergies as the baby grows. However, getting too much vitamin E from too many sources of vitamin E can be dangerous, so make sure you only absorb vitamin E from your foods and prenatal supplements.

The recommended intake of vitamin E during pregnancy is 15 mg. Get this vitamin in vegetable oils, sweet potatoes, avocados, spinach, asparagus, mangoes, prunes, almonds, peanuts, chestnuts, and sunflower seeds.

14. Vitamin K

Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting and helps prevent excessive blood loss during your injury and after your baby is born. This vitamin also helps keep bones strong and heal broken bones. Lack of vitamin K can cause both you and your baby to bleed and bruise more easily, whereas too much vitamin K can be toxic to both you and your baby.

The amount of vitamin K you need during pregnancy is 90 micrograms. Good sources of this vitamin include rapeseed oil, olive oil, beef, broccoli, turnip greens, green vegetables, oatmeal, bran, green apples, asparagus, avocado, blueberries, and bananas.

If you still have questions about nutrition during pregnancy, please consult your doctor or pediatric specialist for advice and prompt answers.

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